Ochoku watched as Orion unleashed his abilities against the Golden Ark. He remained still, waiting—perhaps an unexpected ally would intervene and divert Orion's attention, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike back.
Instead, what followed was a barrage of thunderous pillars, lightning-laced clouds, raging flames, and a blinding white shockwave that shook the entire island.
A devastating sword strike, comparable to his own as a top-tier swordsman, slashed downward. At the same time, sniper bullets rained down, leaving deep, bowl-sized craters in the ground. A faint purple mist rose from the impact points—clearly laced with deadly poison.
Dodging the lightning strikes, Ochoku caught sight of the storm of fire and was immediately reminded of the infamous "Steel Balloon," Charlotte Linlin, whose reputation had already shaken the New World long before he entered it.
"Just how many terrifying monsters does this crew have?"
Orion, reeling from the sniper attack, was forced to use his Wind Fruit powers to shield himself and Jevalle. As a result, the violent gusts hammering the Golden Ark vanished.
"Captain Brook! This is great—Orion's abilities have stopped! We can retreat safely now!"
Fisher Tom exclaimed in relief. But then, he noticed the eager expressions on Redfield's face, as well as the growing anticipation from Charlotte Linlin. Even Newgate appeared tempted.
"Captain Brook! With both rulers absent and the enemy already wounded, why don't we go down there and fight?!"
Having awakened his Conqueror's Haki, Redfield was itching for a battle against the old-guard powerhouses of the New World. A golden opportunity was rare.
"Captain, I want to test my training as well!"
Newgate, too, saw this as the perfect chance to prove his strength and push his bounty to new heights.
"Orion, with a bounty of 800 million... Ochoku, 700 million... Jevalle, 600 million... Silver Axe Ex, 490 million... and an entire pirate force of two to three thousand."
Brook sighed. "Are you sure about this? The power gap is massive. Unless we join forces with Ochoku, considering their history with Vesper's crew, we're at a disadvantage."
Currently, Vesper's fleet of thirty ships and over three thousand pirates was clashing with the fifteen ships of the Rocks Pirates, which housed 1,500 battle-hardened criminals. Though Ochoku had already slain dozens—perhaps even hundreds—of enemy pirates, the sheer firepower of the gun crews had also decimated many of the Rocks Pirates.
Now that they had entered melee combat, Vesper's forces still outnumbered the Rocks Pirates nearly three to one, pressing them relentlessly. Despite suffering over 50% casualties, the Rocks Pirates had yet to break. Any ordinary army would have routed long ago.
"Captain Brook, they're just fodder. My Conqueror's Haki, combined with your Soul aura, will wipe them out. As for Ochoku—leave him to me! My swordsmanship is on the verge of reaching the level of a Grandmaster. This time, my bounty will definitely surpass Linlin's!"
The thought of Linlin having a higher bounty than him irked Redfield. As one of the strongest officers, he refused to be outdone.
"Gurararara~ If that's the case, then I'll take on Jevalle! Time to push my bounty past 600 million!"
Newgate's growth was astonishing. With his dual Haki awakened and his Tremor-Tremor Fruit abilities merging with his brute strength, his power seemed to skyrocket daily. He no longer fell behind Redfield in their sparring sessions.
Just like an adolescent going through a growth spurt, Newgate's transformation was visible. He had even started growing a distinctive white mustache, despite his golden hair. Was this some kind of partial mutation?
Brook recalled that by the time Newgate reached his thirties, he had fully grown his crescent-shaped mustache—the very feature that earned him his legendary title.
"Oi, oi, you guys are picking opponents left and right, but I can't take on Orion alone!"
Brook protested. He had planned on teaming up with Ochoku for this fight.
"Mamamama~ Don't worry, Brook! I'll help you take him down!"
Charlotte Linlin grinned, stepping forward. She had made a promise to Mother Carmel to protect Brook.
"Then the injured Silver Axe is ours!"
Shakky, Fisher Tom, and Tiger exchanged glances before stepping up. The sniper, Silva, and the ship's doctor, Crocus, also confirmed their support.
Streusen nervously lifted his sword, while the Qilin Lion let out a defiant roar, asserting its presence.
The Memory Seahorse, on the other hand, stood obediently beside Antonio, biding its time to claim the spoils of battle. Parrot perched on Antonio's head, cheering them on.
"Since everyone's so fired up, let's give them a taste of what the Hell Pirates can do!"
With their enemies wounded and without reinforcements, this was the perfect time to showcase the Hell Pirates' full power against the elites of the Rocks Pirates.
Orion and Ochoku watched in disbelief as the Golden Ark not only refused to flee but instead launched an all-out assault against them. Were they really choosing to provoke two of the most powerful pirate crews at once?
Suddenly, a wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from the Golden Ark, rolling across the battlefield. The fighting came to a halt. Weaker pirates collapsed instantly, while even the stronger ones faltered under the immense pressure.
But the elite forces of the New World were hardened warriors. Many remained standing despite Redfield's overwhelming display of willpower.
"He possesses Conqueror's Haki?!"
Orion and Ochoku exchanged glances, their expressions darkening. Neither of them had such a talent.
Jevalle, too, scowled at the realization.
"This is the crew that took over Marseille Island...?"
From the Golden Ark, a colossal Soul Reaper manifestation appeared, exuding an aura of pure death. Fear gripped the battlefield as pirates froze in place, unable to resist the oppressive spiritual force.
One by one, they collapsed, unable to endure the combined effects of Redfield's Haki and Brook's Soul Reaper powers.
Orion and Ochoku gritted their teeth. Most of their subordinates had already fallen, leaving them in an increasingly precarious situation.
"Yohohoho~ Orion, my friend, we were just passing through. Why attack us? Since you gave us such a 'warm welcome,' allow us to return the favor."
The Golden Ark remained in the sky, but Brook and his crew had already descended, exuding an overwhelming presence. Even Silver Axe instinctively retreated to Ochoku's side.
Before joining the Rocks Pirates, he had already suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Charlotte Linlin. And now, fate had brought them face to face once more.
"A rookie crew, barely a year into the New World, dares to challenge us?"
Orion glared at the approaching Hell Pirates. He had sensed a few strong auras among them, but none worthy of his fear.
+122 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg